John McHugh Sr. explained

Width Style:person
John F. McHugh Sr.
Birth Name:John F. McHugh Sr.
Birth Date:6 March 1924
Birth Place:Union City, NJ
Serviceyears Label:Service years
Serviceyears:1942-1946
Unit:
Battles Label:Conflict
Battles:World War II
Otherwork:
  • Transit Authority conductor *Private investigator
Spouse:Rosie McGee (August 16, 1947)
Children:John, Brian, Tim

John McHugh Sr. (6 March 1924 – 21 July 2019) was an American World War II veteran who participated in the D Day invasion, the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was in the 1st Infantry Division and was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star. The State of New York placed him in its Veterans Hall of Fame. His hometown Whitestone, New York has co-named a street after him.

Military service

After high school graduation in 1942 McHugh was drafted and completed basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama. After basic training, he went to New York and was transported on the Queen Elizabeth to the United Kingdom. McHugh was in the 1st Infantry Division which landed at Normandy on D-Day and went on to fight at the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. The State of New York placed him in its Veterans Hall of Fame.

D-Day Invasion

McHugh and the First Infantry Division (also known as Big Red One) arrived in landing craft at Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944, at 7:30am.[1] McHugh and roughly 10 soldiers disembarked. As soon as they exited the landing craft, it was destroyed by a German shell. McHugh had been assigned to carry a tripod for a machine gun, however the soldier carrying the machine gun was killed in action so McHugh began crawling up the beach without a weapon. He spent the day in the sand avoiding German gunfire.[2] [3]

Referring to his own experience on D-day, McHugh said, "It's hell day, it really is a hell day. Scared stiff, petrified and running like hell… It was a lot of bodies around, I didn't want to be one of them.”[4] His experience has been cited as emblematic of the dire experiences and vanishing memories of D-Day vets.[3] McHugh sent the money that he earned in the army to his mother (Catherine); his father John was deceased.

Post war

When the war ended, he was in the Army of Occupation. After seven months he was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal.[5]

Awards

Later life and death

After the war, McHugh worked as a Transit Authority conductor and a private investigator for a security firm.

McHugh died in his sleep 21 July 2019 at his home in Whitestone, New York.[7] His hometown Whitestone New York approved a street co-named in honor of McHugh in 2019.[8] [6]

Personal life

McHugh was a first generation American, born in Union City, New Jersey; his parents were Irish immigrants. He came from a long line of soldiers. His father (John McHugh) fought in World War I and was shot six times in the Battle of the Argonne forest and also gassed. McHugh's grandfather fought in the American Civil War.[9] [10]

After World War II ended, John McHugh Sr. returned to the United States and married his childhood sweetheart Rosie McGee on 16 August 1947. Together they had three sons: John, Brian and Tim.[11] He had three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Robinson . Pam . Suozzi Meets With Normandy Veterans . 6 December 2019 . Huntington Now . 5 June 2019 . December 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191206043459/https://huntingtonnow.com/suozzi-meets-with-normandy-veterans/ . live .
  2. Web site: Katz . A.J. . Shep Smith Conducts Remarkable Interview With 95-Year-Old D-Day Veteran . adweek . Adweek, LLC . 12 June 2019 . June 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190608201408/https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/shepard-smith-conducts-remarkable-interview-with-95-year-old-world-war-ii-veteran/405038/ . live .
  3. News: Wulfsohn . Joseph A. . D-Day veteran John McHugh recalls Normandy invasion: It was hell on earth . 12 June 2019 . . Fox News Network LLC . 7 June 2019 . June 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190611044820/https://www.foxnews.com/us/d-day-veteran-john-mchugh-recalls-normandy-invasion-it-was-hell-on-earth . live .
  4. Web site: Gusoff . Carolyn . Through Eyes Of A Veteran: Memorial Day Marks 75th Anniversary Of D-Day . CBS Local . . 12 June 2019 . May 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190524205819/https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/05/24/john-mchugh-veteran-memorial-day-marks-75th-anniversary-of-d-day/ . live .
  5. News: Brady . Ryan . A push to honor WWII hero John McHugh . 12 June 2019 . . 6 December 2018 . June 14, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190614044500/https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/a-push-to-honor-wwii-hero-john-mchugh/article_f5acee08-8cd7-5388-8b5f-55765b5891e2.html . live .
  6. Web site: Mohamed . Carlotta . Honorable U.S. World War II hero and veteran John McHugh Sr. to lead Whitestone Memorial Day Parade . qns . . 12 June 2019 . June 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190616133534/https://qns.com/story/2019/05/17/honorable-u-s-world-war-ii-hero-and-veteran-john-mchugh-sr-to-lead-whitestone-memorial-day-parade/ . live .
  7. News: Brady . Ryan . John McHugh, WWII hero, dies at 95 . 5 December 2019 . Queens Chronicle . 25 July 2019 . December 5, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191205064620/https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/john-mchugh-wwii-hero-dies-at/article_efc63011-4884-5a64-b9bf-d9eb455f31c9.html . live .
  8. News: Brady . Ryan . McHugh co-naming push comes to CB 7 . 6 December 2019 . Queens Chronicle . 17 January 2019 . December 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191206043202/https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/mchugh-co-naming-push-comes-to-cb/article_f0f9682f-5925-51b8-b1c7-7055578594bc.html . live .
  9. News: Mohamed . Carlotta . Honorable U.S. World War II hero and veteran John McHugh Sr. to lead Whitestone Memorial Day Parade . 9 December 2020 . QNS . 17 May 2019 . January 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128151551/https://qns.com/2019/05/honorable-u-s-world-war-ii-hero-and-veteran-john-mchugh-sr-to-lead-whitestone-memorial-day-parade/ . live .
  10. News: LND Parade Association Names 2014 Honorees . 9 December 2020 . Queens Gazette . 23 April 2014.
  11. John McHugh, Sr. . NY Senate . . 12 June 2019 . June 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190616133535/https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/tony-avella/john-mchugh-sr . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "John McHugh Sr.".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.